Brother to Cork star Damien, the corner forward scored 1-6 on a day where Christians showed their teeth heading into the schools hurling season.

CBC started the game fast, with two points from Cahalane and wing forward Padraig Power opening the scoring.

Then, after quick interplay, last year’s Cork minor captain Shane Barrett rippled the net to give Christians a 1-2 lead after five minutes.

Castletroy reduced the deficit to a goal when free-taker Ronan Reale scored two points, but straight after, a rocket shot by CBC’S Padraig Power hit the top corner and increased Christians lead to 2-2 to 0-2.

Christians then began to pull away, and points from Cahalane and Barrett were followed by a clinical finish by midfielder Declan Hanlon to make the scores 3-4 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.

While Diarmuid Hegarty opened his account with a point for Castletroy, CBC’s Owen McCarthy added to his point with a tidy goal to make the scores 4-8 to 0-6 at the break.

Christians showed no sign of letting up in the second half, and Power opened the scoring when he won a breaking ball and smoothly struck over to get his second point of the match.

After Reale knocked over another free for Castletroy, Christians put the foot down, when more points from Cahalane and Jack O’Kelly were followed by an easy second goal for McCarthy after Castletroy were found short at the back.

Christians showed their strength in depth when substitutes James Scally and Carthach Daly shot over another two points.

CBC’s day was topped off when goalkeeper Cian Long scored a free from inside his own half, and a first point for Cillian O’Donovan finished the days scoring.

Speaking after the game, Christians coach and Cork senior selector Donal O’Mahony said:

It’s early in the year and we had the complication of a lot of lads playing the minor county final last week so there was a lot of coming into the unknown today, but we got the job done. Lots of positives but lots of things to work on as well.

“Last year Ard Scoil beat us in the semi-final and they had strength to bring off the bench which got them over the line in the end, we learned from that. We had players today who had been subs for the Harty in the last year or two, and that training stood to them today, they could be that bit better coming off the bench. Still a long way to go.”

Scorers for Christian Brothers College: J Cahalane (1-6, 4 frees), O McCarthy (2-1), P Power (1-3), S Barrett and D Hanlon (1-1 each), J Scally (0-2), J O’Kelly, N Hartnett, C O’Donovan, C Long and C Daly (0-1 each).

Christian Brothers College: C Long; D Barry, P Hennessy, C Murphy; C O’Donovan, I Daly, G Mulcahy; D Hanlon, K Finn; S Barrett, N Hartnett, P Power; O McCarthy, J O’Kelly, J Cahalane.

Subs used: S Green for P Hennessy, J Scally for P Power, P Cotter for C Murphy, P McBarron for S Barrett, D Quill for D Hanlon, C Daly for G Mulcahy.

Scorers for Castletroy College: Scorers: R Reale (0-8, 7 frees), D Hegarty (0-2).

Castletroy College: J Fitzgerald; P O’Grady, P Power, E Power; A Carroll, P Hartnett, L O’Sullivan; R Fox, R Lyons; A Shanahan, D Hegarty, K Morrissey; D O’Dalaigh, A Rowsome, R Reale.

Subs used: D O’Mahoney for P O’Grady, E Stritch for D O’Dalaigh, C Madden for E Power.